DR.G.  GRIFFIN  LEWIS  ! 


Cbe 

Bora  ©It ve  Gbompsott 

flfoemorial  Section 

of  tbc 

Branbsonte  Iball 
library 

Iftreaentefc  bv? 


U.  c. 

Bate  T-a, v<*ro 


t--3*  “ 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE 
ORIENTAL  RUG 


THE 

PRACTICAL  BOOKS 

EACH  HANDSOMELY  BOUND 
AND  IN  A SLIP  COVER 


THE  PRACTICAL  BOOK  OF 
ORIENTAL  RUGS 

By  DR.  G.  GRIFFIN  LEWIS 

New  Edition.  Revised  and  Enlarged 
20  illustrations  in  color,  93  in  doubletone,  70  text 
designs  in  line.  Folding  chart  of  rug  charac- 
teristics and  a map  of  the  Orient 
Octavo.  Cloth,  $ 5.00  Net 

THE  PRACTICAL  BOOK  OF 
GARDEN  ARCHITECTURE 

By 

PHEBE  WESTCOTT  HUMPHREYS 

With  frontispiece  in  color,  designed  title  and  125  illus- 
trations from  actual  examples  of  garden  architecture 
Octavo.  Cloth , $5.00  Net 

THE  PRACTICAL  BOOK  OF 
PERIOD  FURNITURE 

By 

HAROLD  DONALDSON  EBERLEIN 
AND  ABBOT  McCLURE 

About  200  illustrations  in  color,  doubletone  and  line 
of  the  furniture  of  English  Period,  American  Colonial 
and  Post-Colonial,  and  the  principal  French  Periods 
Octavo.  Cloth,  $ 5.00  Net 

THE  PRACTICAL  BOOK  OF 
OUTDOOR  ROSE  GROWING 

By  GEORGE  C.  THOMAS,  Jr. 

72  perfect  full-page  reproductions  in  color  and  8 half- 
tone plates.  Octavo.  Cloth,  $Jf.OO  Net 

¥ 

UNIFORM  IN  SIZE  AND  STYLE 

THE  CURIOUS  LORE  OF 
PRECIOUS  STONES 

By  GEORGE  FREDERICK  KUNZ, 
Ph.D.,  A.M.,  D.Sc. 

With  76  illustrations  in  colors,  doubletone  and  line 
Octavo.  Cloth,  $5.00  Net 


J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS  PHILADELPHIA 


ISPAHAN  SILK  PRAYER  RUG 
Property  of  Nahigian  Bros.,  Chicago,  III. 

An  eighteenth  century  piece  of  the  finest  material  and  workmanship 
with  over  a thousand  knots  to  the  square  inch.  The  following  is  a 
literal  translation  of  the  Arabic  inscriptions  with  which  it  is  covered. 

“God,  The  Greatest  of  the  Great.” 

“ The  Apostle  believeth  in  that  which  hath  been  sent  down  unto  him 
by  his  Lord,  and  the  faithful  also.  Every  one  of  them  believeth  in  God 
and  His  Angels,  in  His  scriptures,  and  His  Apostles;  we  make  no  dis- 
tinction at  all  between  His  Apostles.  And  they  say,  we  have  heard, 
and  they  do  obey;  we  implore  Thy  mercy,  O Lord,  for  unto  Thee  must 
we  return.  God  will  not  force  any  soul  beyond  its  capacity;  it  must 
have  the  good  which  it  gaineth  and  it  shall  suffer  the  evil  which  it 
gaineth.  0 Lord,  lay  not  on  us  a burden  like  that  thou  hast  laid  on 
those  wrho  have  been  before  us;  neither  make  us,  O Lord,  to  bear  what 
we  have  no  strength  to  bear,  but  be  favorable  unto  us,  and  be  merciful 
unto  us.  Thou  art  our  Patron,  help  us  therefore  against  the  unbelievers.” 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2016 


https://archive.org/details/mysteryoforienta00lewi_0 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE 
ORIENTAL  RUG 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  RUG 
THE  PRAYER  RUG 
SOME  ADVICE  TO  PURCHASERS 
OF  ORIENTAL  RUGS 


BY 

DR.  G.  GRIFFIN  LEWIS 

AUTHOR  OF  “ THE  PRACTICAL  BOOK  OF  ORIENTAL  RUGS  ” 


WITH  FRONTISPIECE  IN  COLOR,  30  ILLUSTRA- 
TIONS IN  HALF-TONE,  AND  TEXT  DECORATIONS 


PHILADELPHIA  AND  LONDON 
J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 
1914 


COPYRIGHT,  1914,  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 


PUBLISHED  OCTOBER,  1914 


PRINTED  BY  J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY 
AT  THE  WASHINGTON  SQUARE  PRESS 
PHILADELPHIA,  U.  S.  A. 


THE  GETTY  CENTER 
LIBRARY 


INTRODUCTION 


The  three  articles  of  which  this  monograph 
is  composed  were  written  for  magazine  publi- 
cation, but  upon  due  reflection  the  author  has, 
instead,  deemed  it  advisable  to  publish  them 
all  under  one  cover;  first,  because  of  the  kindly 
reception  which  the  public  accorded  his  first 
effort,  “The  Practical  Book  of  Oriental  Rugs”; 
second,  because  of  the  popular  demand  for  a 
low-priced  book  on  the  subject;  and,  finally, 
because  these  articles  contain  information  which 
is  found  in  no  other  book,  and  which  should  be 
of  special  interest  to  those  who  know  little  of 
rugs  and  who  are  desirous  of  learning  something 
without  too  much  research. 

Those  who  wish  to  pursue  the  subject  further 
would  do  well  to  read  the  work  above  referred  to, 
while  those  who  have  already  done  so  will  find 
this  one  an  interesting  and  useful  supplement. 

In  this  monograph  the  author  has  endeav- 
ored to  present  in  a concise  form  certain  facts 
that  may  enable  the  novice  to  more  fully  under- 
stand and  appreciate  the  beauty  and  interest 
attached  to  these  treasures  of  the  Orient,  and 
hopes  that  it  will  serve  well  the  purpose  which 
prompted  its  creation. 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

The  Mystery  of  the  Rug 13 

The  Prayer  Rug  ...  31 

Some  Advice  to  Purchasers  of  Oriental  Rugs  . 4 5 

Characteristics  of  Rugs 73 

Description  of  Plates 85 


ILLUSTRATIONS 

PAGE 

Ispahan  Silk  Prayer  Rug Frontispiece 

No.  1.  Symbolic  Persian  Prayer  Rug 15 

No.  2.  A Sixteenth  Century  Persian  Rug 17 

No.  3.  Chinese  Zodiacal  Rug 19 

No.  4.  Persian  Prayer  Rug 21 

No.  5.  Persian  Silk  Rug 23 

No.  6.  Symbolic  Kirman  Rug 25 

No.  7.  Shemakha  or  Sumak  Hunting  Rug 33 

No.  8.  Kabtstan  Rug 35 

No.  9.  Chinese  Rug 37 

No.  10.  Indian  Floral  Prayer  Rug 39 

No.  11.  Persian  Silk  Prayer  Rug 47 

No.  12.  Anatolian  Prayer  Rug 49 

No.  13.  Child’s  Prayer  Rug 51 

No.  14.  Meles  Prayer  Rug 53 

No.  15.  Meshed  Prayer  Rug  (Tree  of  Life  Design)  ...  55 

No.  16.  Beshir  Bokhara  Prayer  Rug 57 

No.  17.  Tekke  Bokhara  Prayer  Rug 59 

No.  18.  Karabagh  Prayer  Rug  with  Date 61 

No.  19.  Daghestan  Prayer  Rug 63 

No.  20.  Kulah  Prayer  Rug 65 

No.  21.  Tabriz  Prayer  Rug  (Tree  of  Life  Design)  ...  67 

No.  22.  Ghileem  Portrait  Rug 75 

No.  23.  Kabistan  Rug 77 

No.  24.  Beluchistan  Rug 79 

No.  25.  Kazak  Rug 81 

No.  26.  Shiraz  Rug 87 

No.  27.  Kabistan  Rug 89 

No.  28.  Feraghan  Rug 91 

No.  29.  Kurdistan  Rug 93 

No.  30.  Mosul  Rug 95 


9 


I 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  RUG 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  RUG 

Seated  by  the  fire- 
side with  your  feet 
upon  the  hearth  rug 
of  silken  sheen,  did 
you  ever  indulge  in 
reveries  and  en- 
chanting dreams  as 
you  gazed  upon  its 
glorious  vista  of 
color  harmony? 

If  it  was  endowed 
with  the  gift  of 
speech  what  a won- 
derfully interesting  story  it  could  tell  of 
romance,  adventure,  deprivation  or,  perhaps, 
tragedy ! Was  it  woven  by  the  barbarous  nomad 
in  his  mountain  tent,  by  the  Persian  in  his 
adobe  hut,  or  by  the  Anatolian  maiden  as  a 
dowry  for  her  future  lord  and  master? 

The  history  of  many  of  these  gems  of  the 
Eastern  loom  is,  to  a certain  extent,  legible 
in  their  weave,  designs  and  colors.  Every  rug 

13 


14  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


has  a story  of  its  own  written 
in  one  of  the  many  dialects  of 
the  world  of  imagination  and 
tradition.  It  may  reveal  history, 
family  and  tribal  legends  or  the 
j elevation  and  declineof  nations. 

There  are  old  masters  in  wool  as  well  as  on 
canvas,  each  one  of  which  has  its  own  individu- 
ality, carrying  with  it  an  air  of  Oriental  splendor, 
being  full  of  mystic  folk  lore  and  telling  much  of 
a bygone  people  and  religion.  He  who  loves 
them  and  has  a knowledge  of  the  countries  from 
which  they  come  and  the  people  who  made  them, 
not  only  appreciates  their  true  value  and  mystic 
charm,  but  understands  more  or  less  the  deep 
and  confusing  symbolism  of  the  various  colors 
and  designs,  every  one  of  which  has  a meaning, 
though  they  may  not  always  be  understood 
by  the  weavers  who  employ  them  at  the 
present  day.  Without  a doubt  many  of  these 
well-known  designs  have  been  transmitted  from 
the  earliest  days  and  were  associated  with 
the  different  religions  of  the  time,  such  for  in- 
stance as  that  of  the  ancient  fire  and  sun 
worshippers,  which  even  to-day  have  a few 
devotees  in  parts  of  Persia. 


No.  1.  SYMBOLIC  PERSIAN  PRAYER  RUG 


16  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


By  com- 
parison and 
patient  study 
the  connois- 
seur has  been 
able  to  interpret  the  symbolic 
meaning  of  many  of  the  more 
common  designs  and  thus  become 
acquainted  with  some  of  the  traditions  and 
associations  connected  with  them,  but  if  a 
more  general  knowledge  of  their  symbolism 
could  be  acquired  it  would  greatly  add  charm 
and  interest  and  make  a rug  more  valuable 
even  than  would  its  harmonious  and  beauti- 
fully blended  colors. 

It  seems  perfectly  natural  that  the  Oriental, 
who  is  so  passionately  fond  of  symbols,  should 
profusely  weave  them  into  his  fabrics,  and  so 
it  is  that  in  many  of  these  rugs  the  individuality 
of  the  maker  is  so  clearly  expressed.  Even  the 
little  children,  intent  upon  following  certain 
outlines  of  patterns  peculiar  to  their  locality, 
give  a distinct  individuality  to  each  rug  by 
mistakes  and  additions  of  their  own.  Likewise 
sudden  changes  in  designs  and  colors  frequently 


No.  2.  A SIXTEENTH  CENTURY  PERSIAN  RUG 


18  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


show  the  imprint  of  more  than  one  pair  of  hands. 
Sometimes  these  changes  are  absolutely  abrupt, 
but  more  frequently  they  are  similar  but  inexact, 
as  though  the  new  weaver  was  endeavoring  to 
adapt  his  own  method  of  weaving  to  that  of 
his  predecessor. 

There  are  many  innovations  in  rug  weaving 
which  are  of  deep  significance  to  the  Eastern 
mind,  such  for  instance  as  a lock  of  human 
hair  woven  in  as  a love  message,  a few  tufts  of 
unclipped  nap  which  are  supposed  to  bring 
good  luck,  or  a bead  or  two  to  guard  against  the 
evil  eye,  the  belief  in  which  is  one  of  the  most 
fixed  of  Eastern  superstitions. 

The  irregularity  of  design,  which  may  appear 
to  be  the  result  of  accident  or  carelessness,  is 
frequently  the  intentional  work  of  some  devout 
weaver  to  emphasize  his  belief  that  nothing  but 
Allah  can  be  perfect. 

Inscriptions  are  frequently  employed.  They 
are  usually  in  the  Arabic  language,  which  is 
quite  generally  understood  throughout  the 
Orient,  and  they  are,  as  a rule,  either  quota- 
tions from  the  Koran  or  verses  of  some  famous 
Eastern  poet. 


No.  3.  CHINESE  ZODIACAL  RUG 


20  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


The  Oriental  is  passionately  fond  of  flowers, 
his  idea  of  Paradise  being  likened  to  a huge 
flower  garden.  He  therefore  weaves  into  his 
rugs  flowers  of  every  description,  especially  those 
which  flourish  in  his  native  land,  such  as  the 
lotus,  the  iris  or  lily,  the  poppy,  the  rose, 
the  carnation,  the  chrysanthemum,  and  the 
peony,  all  of  which  have  their  symbolisms 
generally  following  that  of  their  color. 

The  Persians,  the  Chinese  and  the  Caucasians, 
being  liberal  or  Sheed  Mohammedans,  weave  all 
sorts  of  figures  of  birds,  animals  and  men  into 
their  rugs,  but  the  Turks,  being  conservative  or 
Sunnite  Mohammedans,  never  weave  forms  of 
living  creatures  or  beings,  as  it  is  forbidden  by 
the  Koran  for  fear  it  might  lead  to  idolatry; 
besides,  it  is  their  belief  that  if  they  make  a 
form  of  any  living  thing  they  will  be  expected, 
in  the  day  of  judgment,  to  endow  it  with  a soul. 
For  the  same  reason,  pictures  containing  forms 
of  animals  and  men  are  never  found  in  Turkish 
homes.  The  Turkomans  and  Beluchees  are  not 
as  liberal  as  the  Persians  or  as  conservative  as 
the  Turks.  They  only  occasionally  weave  forms 
of  animate  objects. 


No.  4.  PERSIAN  PRAYER  RUG 


22  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


From  the  earliest  time 
a great  deal  of  importance 
has  been  attached  by  the 
people  of  the  East  to  the 
symbolic  significance  of 
colors,  which  form  no  small 
part  of  the  cabalistic  mean- 
ing of  designs.  Among  the 
Mohammedans  green 
stands  for  immortality 
a sacred  color.  For  this 
reason  it  was  seldom  employed  by  the  ortho- 
dox Mohammedan  in  weaving  until  within  the 
last  decade  or  so.  This  is  why  so  few  antique 
Turkish  rugs  are  found  with  green,  excepting 
an  occasional  one  of  the  prayer  variety. 

Red  is  the  Mohammedan  color  for  joy,  while 
with  the  Chinese  it  is  the  emblem  of  truth, 
virtue  and  sincerity.  It  is  used  quite  generally 
in  costumes  and  decorations  for  festivities, 
especially  the  marriage  ceremony.  Blue  in 
Persia  symbolizes  the  air.  Among  the  Mongols 
it  is  the  emblem  of  authority  or  power,  and 
nearly  throughout  the  Orient  it  is  employed  to 
counteract  evil  influences.  Every  horse,  camel 


and  is  regarded  as 


No.  5.  PERSIAN  SILK  RUG 


24  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


and  donkey  either  wears  a string  of  blue  beads 
around  its  neck  or  has  a few  tied  to  its  mane 
or  tail  to  keep  away  disease  and  misfortune. 
Yellow  is  the  Chinese  color  of  royalty,  robes  of 
yellow  being  worn  by  the  members  of  the  royal 
family.  Purple  also  has  always  been  associated 
with  royalty  and  accepted  as  the  sign  of  imperial 
power.  White  has  ever  been  accepted  as  sym- 
bolic of  innocence  of  soul,  of  purity  of  thought, 
of  holiness  of  life.  Hence  the  priests  of  the  great 
divinity  Osiris  were  robed  in  white,  and  thus,  too, 
were  the  priests  of  Zeus.  Black,  suggestive  of  the 
materia]  darkness  and  gloom  that  follows  the 
withdrawal  of  the  cheering  light  of  day,  is  a meet 
symbol  of  the  spiritual  darkness  of  the  soul 
unillumined  by  the  sun  of  righteousness.  Orange 
symbolizes  resignation  and  piety,  and  rose  divine 
wisdom. 

A knowledge  of  the  designs,  colors  and  meth- 
ods of  weaving  is  no  more  interesting  and  fas- 
cinating than  is  a knowledge  of  the  uses  for 
which  the  rugs  were  woven. 

It  has  long  been  a Turkish  custom  for  a girl,  as 
soon  as  she  becomes  engaged,  to  weave  a rug  to 
present  to  her  future  husband.  It  is  her  dowry 


No.  6.  SYMBOLIC  KIRMAN  RUG  (Persian) 


26  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


or  marriage  gift,  and  as  it  is  a work  of  love,  with 
dreams,  hopes  and  fancies  for  inspiration,  the  ma- 
terials, colors  and  designs  must  be  selected  with 
the  constant  thought  of  her  lover  and  the  work- 
manship must  be  the  best  she  is  capable  of  giving. 

It  is  a very  old  custom  to  cover  the  dead 
before  interment  and  the  grave  after  interment 
with  a rug  instead  of  with  flowers.  These  grave 
rugs  are  usually  the  combined  handiwork  of  all 
the  members  of  the  family  and  nearly  always 
have  the  tree  design,  usually  the  cypress,  which 
is  symbolic  of  immortality. 

The  hearth  or  guest  rug  is  always  spread 
before  the  fire  upon  the  arrival  of  a guest,  and 
once  a fugitive,  fleeing  from  his  enemies,  enters 
a tent  and  sets  his  foot  upon  the  hearth  rug,  the 
owner  and  his  people  are  bound  to  defend  him. 
Even  among  the  wild  mountaineers  to  whom  a 
human  life  counts  for  little,  guesthood  is  sacred. 

The  bath  rug  is  usually  presented  to  the  bride 
by  her  parents  on  her  wedding  day. 

Rugs  have  always  been  used  for  religious  pur- 
poses as  altar  cloths,  canopies,  wall  decorations 
in  the  mosques  and  as  spreads  on  which  to  kneel 
in  prayer.  Every  devout  disciple  of  the  Prophet 


THE  MYSTERY  OF  THE  RUG 


27 


owns  a prayer  rug  on  which  he  kneels  five  times 
a day  when  the  hour  for  prayer  arrives. 

It  is  still  the  custom  in  some  parts  of  the 
Orient  to  give  rugs  to  the  mosques  as  thank 
offerings  for  special  blessings  received,  and  fre- 
quently the  Mohammedan  bequeaths  a rug,  when 
he  dies,  to  the  mosque  where  he  worshipped. 
Every  Mohammedan  is  supposed  to  make  a 
pilgrimage  to  Mecca  at  least  once  during  his  life, 
at  which  time  he  usually  takes  one  of  his  master- 
pieces as  a gift  to  the  mosque.  Such  pieces, 
woven  with  great  religious  zeal,  usually  repre- 
sent the  best  dyes,  materials  and  workmanship 
that  the  district  possesses. 

It  is  quite  evident  that  to  the  Oriental  the 
rug  is  an  indispensable  companion  in  his  home 
life,  in  his  social  life,  in  his  spiritual  life  and 
finally  in  his  death. 

Taking  this  into  consideration,  together  with 
the  fact  that  these  woven  masterpieces,  which 
come  from  the  mysterious  recesses  of  Asia,  are 
but  pages  of  a picture  language,  which  unfold 
themselves  like  the  plot  of  a story,  is  it  strange 
that  he  who  reads  them  is  fascinated? 


THE  PRAYER  RUG 


THE  PRAYER  RUG 


A Temple  rug,  with  a niche  for  prayer 
That  my  lord’s  dark  knees  oft  pressed; 

The  shield,  the  comb  and  the  crescent  there, 

Are  symbols  his  tribe  was  wont  to  wear, 

Mine  the  weaving?  then  mine  the  prayer; 

May  Allah  guard  his  rest. 

Ruth  Guthrie  Harding 

The  Namazlik  or 
prayer  rug,  which  from 
its  associations  is  de- 
cidedly the  most  inter- 
esting example  of  any  class  of  textile  fabrics, 
and  which  has  very  appropriately  been  called 
“a  creed  in  color,”  originated  with  the  Moham- 
medans of  Asia  Minor  for  the  purpose,  no 
doubt,  of  providing  the  worshipper  with  a clean 
place  on  which  to  offer  prayers,  as  it  is  unlawful 
for  the  Moslem  to  kneel  on  an  unclean  place; 
therefore  the  prayer  rug  is  his  constant  com- 
panion at  home  and  abroad. 

Every  faithful  follower  of  the  Prophet  owns 
one,  more  or  less  valuable,  according  to  his 
means,  which  he  clings  to  devoutly  and  upon 

31 


32  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


which  he  prostrates  himself  five 
times  a day;  at  daybreak,  nine 
a.  m.,  noon,  five  p.  m.,  and  eight 
p.  m.,  at  which  hours  the  Muez- 
zins from  the  balconies  of  the 
minarets  issue  the  call  to 
prayer.  In  obedience  to  the 
laws  of  the  Koran,  he  first  removes  all  money, 
jewelry  and  ornaments  from  his  person  in  order 
that  he  may  appear  before  God  in  the  most 
abject  humility;  then,  after  combing  his  beard, 
he  spreads  his  rug  with  its  niche  pointed  toward 
Mecca,  that  hallowed  city  whither,  tradition 
tells  us,  King  Solomon  was  transported  upon  a 
fabulous  green  carpet,  and  whence  more  than 
three  hundred  years  later  Mohammed  made  his 
pilgrimage. 

After  placing  a cake  of  dried  earth  from  this 
holy  city  in  the  angle  of  the  niche,  he  sits  upon 
the  lower  portion  of  the  rug  with  his  heels 
close  together,  outstretches  his  hands  and  rev- 
erently prostrates  himself  with  his  forehead 
resting  upon  the  sacred  earth  so  that  the  law 
of  the  Koran  that  “the  head  must  be  bowed 
to  the  ground”  might  be  carried  out.  In  this 


No.  7.  SHEMAKHA  OR  SUMAK  HUNTING  RUG 


34  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


position  nothing  will  interfere  or  distract  his 
attention  from  his  worship  as  he  repeats  some 
verses  from  the  Koran;  or,  more  frequently, 
the  following:  “In  the  name  of  God,  the  com- 
passionate compassioner,  Praise  be  to  God,  the 
Lord  of  the  worlds,  the  compassionate  compas- 
sioner, the  Sovereign  of  the  day  of  judgment. 
Thee  do  we  worship  and  of  Thee  do  we  beg 
assistance.  Direct  us  in  the  right  way;  in  the 
way  of  those  to  whom  Thou  hast  been  gracious, 
on  whom  there  is  no  wrath  and  who  go  not 
astray.” 

The  niche  of  the  prayer  rug  is  intended  to 
represent  the  mihrab  or  upper  arch  of  a Moham- 
medan mosque,  all  of  which  are  built  with  their 
axes  extended  in  the  direction  of  Mecca.  This 
niche  varies  in  shape  according  to  the  style  of 
mosque  architecture  in  the  locality  from  which 
the  rug  comes;  thus  in  Persia  it  is  usually  com- 
posed of  curved  lines,  while  in  Asia  Minor, 
Turkestan  and  the  Caucasus  it  is  severely 
rectilinear.  Those  of  the  Persian  and  Turkish 
classes  are  pointed,  while  those  of  the  Caucasian 
and  Turkoman  classes  may  be  either  pointed 
or  flat  on  the  top,  more  frequently  the  latter. 


No.  8.  KABISTAN  RUG  (Caucasian) 


36  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


The  colors  and  decorative  character  also  vary 
in  different  localities.  Frequently  a mosque 
lamp  of  floral  design  hangs  from  the  niche,  on 
either  side  of  which  are  two  columns  intended 
^ no  doubt  to  represent  the  two  large  altar 
I candles  of  the  mosque.  Cross  panels, 
either  above  or  below,  or  both  above  and 
below  the  prayer  field,  are  frequently 
found  in  many  of  the  Turkish  pieces,  but  seldom 
in  those  of  any  other  class. 

In  size,  prayer  rugs  vary  from  two  and  one- 
half  to  four  feet  wide  by  four  and  one-half  to 
six  feet  long.  Small  ones  are  frequently  made 
for  children,  and  occasionally  one  is  found  with 


two  or  more  niches,  as  if  intended  for  a whole 
family.  Sometimes  the  owner’s  name  and  fre- 
quently special  emblems  of  local  significance  are 
worked  into  the  rug,  especially  in  and  around 
the  niche,  such  for  instance  as  the  articles  used 


No.  9.  CHINESE  RUG 


38  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


ooo 

imnn 


by  the  pious  Mohammedan,  like  the  compass 
with  which  he  determines  the  direction  of  Mecca, 
the  comb  with  which  he  combs  his  beard,  or  the 
Moslem  rosary  consisting  of  ninety-nine  beads, 
one  for  each  of  the  ninety-nine 
names  of  Allah.  Frequently  the 
form  of  a hand  is  woven  on  each 
side  of  the  niche,  which  are  suggestive  that  the 
worshipper’s  hands  be  placed  there  while  pray- 
ing, and  in  many  of  the  Turkish  and  Caucasian 
pieces  there  is  a small  rhomboidal  figure  just 
above  the  niche  where  the  suppliant  places  the 
bit  of  earth  which  he  has  brought  from  Mecca. 
There  are  never  any  representations  of  animate 
beings,  either  in  the  designs  of  the  rug  or  in 
the  places  where  the  Mohammedans  exercise 
their  devotions,  this  being  forbidden  by  God, 
and  any  prayers  offered  where  such  figures  are 
to  be  seen  are  devoid  of  merit. 

The  women  are  not  permitted  to  join  in  pub- 
lic prayers  at  the  mosque,  but  must  offer  their 
devotion  in  private  places  and  never  before  men. 

Some  authorities  claim  that  there  are  prayer 
rugs  of  every  weave.  This  may  be  true,  as  the 
Mohammedans  are  scattered  well  over  all  the 


No.  10.  INDIAN  FLORAL  PRAYER  RUG 


40  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


rug  making  countries,  but  as  accurately  as  we 
can  ascertain  Hamadan  and  Saraband  prayer 
rugs  are  never  seen  in  America,  while  Shiraz, 
Chichi,  Feraghan,  Senna,  Meshed,  Bijar  and 
Shemakha  prayer  rugs  are  rarely  seen. 

The  following  sketch  of  some  of  the  most 
common  forms  of  the  prayer  niche  will  be  of  ma- 
terial assistance  to  the  reader  in  differentiating. 


PERSIAN,  1,  2 and  3 : TURKISH,  4,  5,  6 and  8;  CAUCASIAN,  5,  7 and  8 ; 
TURKOMAN,  5 and  7 


The  great  majority  of  prayer  rugs  seen  in 
this  country  were  made  solely  for  trade  and  not 
for  religious  purposes.  This  is  especially  true 
of  the  Persian  pieces ; the  Mohammedans  of 
that  country,  being  more  scrupulous  than  those 
of  the  other  rug  making  countries,  are  unwilling 
that  their  “Namazliks”  be  tramped  on  by  the 


THE  PRAYER  RUG 


41 


feet  of  infidels.  These  commercial  pieces  may 
be  most  attractive  in  color,  design  and  work- 
manship, but  they  do  not  possess  the  interest 
of  some  of  the  old  pieces  in  which  the  well- 
worn  nap  shows  where  the  devotee’s  knees  and 
hands  have  pressed  for  several  generations. 
Such  pieces  are  very  desirable  to  possess  on 
account  of  their  excellent  workmanship,  their 
artistic  designs  and  color  combinations,  their 
rapidly  increasing  value,  and,  finally,  because 
of  the  romance  and  sentiment  which  they 
arouse,  for  surely  they  have  not  only  served  the 
faithful  Mohammedan  in  his  response  to  the 
call  of  prayer,  but  they  must  embody  many  a 
prayer  in  their  very  texture. 


SOME  ADVICE  TO  PURCHASERS  OF 
ORIENTAL  RUGS 


SOME  ADVICE  TO  PURCHASERS 
OF  ORIENTAL  RUGS 


/TiV 


Thirty-five  or  forty  years 
ago  few  American  homes 
possessed  even  one  Oriental 
rug,  but  now,  not  only  the 


wealthy  but  people  of  moderate 
means  have  become  interested  and 
are  purchasing  them  in  accordance 
with  their  resources.  This  fact  is 
proven  by  the  United  States  cus- 
tom house  statistics,  which  show 
that  the  importation  of  the 
Eastern  rugs  previous  to  1892 
amounted  to  $300,000  annually, 
whereas,  at  the  present  time,  it 
is  in  the  neighborhood  of  $5,000,000  with  a steady 
increase  each  year. 

The  increasing  use  of  hard  wood  and  mosaic 

floors,  even  in  buildings  of  moderate  cost,  also 

calls  for  their  more  general  use;  besides,  the  once 

prevalent  idea  that  they  were  intended  only  for 

the  wealthy  is  rapidly  being  discarded  and  the 

45 


46  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


people  are  beginning  to  realize  that  in  the  end, 
good,  well-selected  Oriental  rugs  make  as  cheap 
a floor  covering  as  anything  in  the  textile  class. 
Money  paid  for  good  rugs  is  well  expended,  for 
with  age  they  improve  in  color  and  sheen  as  well 
as  in  value.  This  is  due  in  part  to  the  fact  that 
in  the  Orient  the  wool  is  so  prepared  that  little 
of  its  animal  fat  is  destroyed  and  also  to  its 
treatment  with  vegetable  dyes,  which  have  a 
tendency  to  preserve  the  elasticity  of  the  wool 
fibre  instead  of  making  it  brittle  as  do  the  aniline 
dyes.  Stocks  may  fluctuate  and  may  depreciate 
in  value,  but  good  Oriental  rugs,  if  purchased  at 
a fair  price,  will  do  neither. 

It  is  a mistaken  idea  that  the  more  modern 
and  cheaper  rugs  are  always  inferior  in  wearing 
qualities  to  the  older  and  more  expensive  pieces. 
In  many  instances  they  are  superior.  The 
wearing  qualities  do  not  depend  so  much  upon 
the  number  of  knots  to  the  square  inch  as  they 
do  upon  the  length  of  the  pile  and  the  manner 
in  which  the  knots  are  tied,  those  which  are  tied 
tightly  being  more  durable  than  those  which  are 
loosely  tied  and  those  with  a long  nap  being 
equally  more  durable  than  those  with  a short 


No.  11.  PERSIAN  SILK  PRAYER  RUG 


48  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


nap.  Strange  as  it  may  seem,  the  majority  of 
the  more  expensive  pieces  have  a short  nap, 
while  the  majority  of  the  less  expensive  pieces 
have  a long  nap.  In  the  former,  where  the  nap 
is  so  short,  the  knots  must  be  tied  closer  together 
in  order  to  hold  well. 


Nothing  adds  more  to  the  beauty  of  the  home 
than  do  Oriental  rugs,  when  carefully  chosen 
with  reference  to  designs  and  colors.  They 
impart  richness,  represent  refinement  and  have 
a distinct  individuality. 

Remarkable  as  it  may  seem,  the  people  have 
been  accustomed  to  paying  good  prices  for 


No.  12.  ANATOLIAN  PRAYER  RUG 


glgjPP 


50  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


Oriental  rugs  without  knowing  anything  about 
them  further  than  to  be  able  to  recognize  cer- 
tain types  like  the  Bokhara  with  its  character- 
istic octagon  or  the  Saraband  with  its  familiar 
pear  design,  which  have  become  so  well  known 
that  they  are  easily  recognized. 

The  buyer  hitherto  has  selected  what  pleased 
him  most,  depending  entirely  upon  the  sagacity 
of  the  dealer  often  to  learn  later  that  he  had 
been  sadly  defrauded.  The  problem  of  rug 
buying  is  therefore  a complicated  one  which,  in 
many  instances,  is  fraught  with  perplexity  and 
disappointment.  Of  course,  a connoisseur  could 
be  called  upon  to  assist  in  the  selection,  but  it 
would  be  better  for  one  before  purchasing  to  ac- 
quire some  knowledge  of  the  characteristics  of 
the  more  common  varieties  as  well  as  the  different 
means  employed  in  examining  them.  This  can  be 
easily  and  quickly  done  by  consulting  some  prac- 
tical book  on  the  subject  which  is  reliable,  con- 
cise and  interestingly  written.  Such  a book  will 
stimulate  an  interest  and  create  many  rug  enthu- 
siasts, while  the  dishonest  methods  of  selling  rugs 
will  only  become  unprofitable  with  the  increase 
of  the  essential  knowledge  among  buyers. 


No.  13.  CHILD’S  PRAYER  RUG  (Daghestan) 


52  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


Western  intercourse  is  making  rapid  advance 
upon  the  conservatism  of  the  Orient,  demanding 
rugs  of  Oriental  weave  but  with  Occidental 
dyes  and,  to  a certain  extent,  designs  also. 
Some  dealers  who  are  honest  and  who  know 
will  honorably  tell  you  whether  a rug  is  chemi- 
cally dyed  or  not,  while  many  others,  know- 
ing the  average  buyer  is  unable  to  tell  for 
himself,  either  fail  to  say  or  deliberately  lie. 
It  is  this  sort  of  dealing  that  has  inspired 
so  great  distrust  of  the  Oriental  trade,  and 
many  innocent  dealers  have  suffered  with  the 
guilty. 

The  novice  is  unable  to  make  a fair  compari- 
son of  prices,  as  frequently  rugs,  which  appear 
to  him  to  be  quite  alike  and  equally  valuable, 
may  be  far  apart  in  actual  worth.  First  of  all, 
he  should  protect  himself  by  patronizing  a good, 
reliable,  well-established  firm  in  whose  fair 
dealings  he  has  confidence,  then  be  willing  to 
consider  their  advice.  He  should  shun  dealers 
who  do  not  mark  the  price  upon  each  piece  and 
he  should  not  expect  to  find  good  rugs  among 
the  badly  washed  and  second-class  stocks  of 
the  itinerant  auctioneer. 


^SSSSS^l 


No.  14.  MELES  PRAYER  RUG  (Turkish) 


54  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


Frequently  dealers  mark  rugs  according  to 
their  attractiveness  in  designs  and  colors  in- 
stead of  according  to  their  real  worth  from  a 
standpoint  of  materials,  dyes  and  workmanship. 
Therefore,  one  who  is  a connoisseur  may  fre- 
quently obtain  good,  honest  pieces  at  the  same 
prices  he  would  have  to  pay  for  inferior  pieces. 


The  average  buyer,  however,  will,  nine  times 
out  of  ten,  select  the  “doctored”  pieces  and  pass 
over  the  honest  ones,  as  they  are  somewhat 
brighter  and  do  not  appeal  to  his  artistic  taste 
as  much  as  do  the  ones  whose  colors  have  been 
artificially  subdued.  Realizing  this  fact,  the 
great  majority  of  importers  have  95  per  cent,  of 


No.  15.  MESHED  PRAYER  RUG  (Persian) 
Tree  of  Life  Design 


56  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


their  rugs  chemically  washed  in  a solution  of 
chloride  of  lime.  Some  time  ago  the  writer 
inspected  the  large  stock  of  a prominent  New 
York  importer  and,  before  leaving,  congratu- 
lated him  upon  the  large  number  of  “undoc- 
tored” pieces  which  he  had.  The  dealer’s 
reply  was,  “If  you  had  called  a week  later  you 
could  not  have  offered  your  congratulations,  as 
nearly  every  ‘ undoctored  ’ piece  here  goes 
into  the  wash  to-morrow.”  He  further  stated 
that  he  seldom  could  sell  rugs  until  the 
colors  had  been  chemically  subdued  and  the 
artificial  sheen  had  been  established.  This 
being  true,  we  can  hardly  blame  those  houses, 
which  have  large  expenses  and  great  competi- 
tion, for  catering  to  the  public  demand.  Occa- 
sionally, however,  we  meet  with  a dealer  whose 
artistic  love  is  stronger  than  his  desire  for  gain. 
Some  time  ago  I called  upon  a prominent  Fifth 
Avenue  dealer.  In  response  to  my  card  he 
presented  himself  in  person.  I told  him  that 
I wished  to  look  at  some  rugs.  He  immediately 
ushered  me  into  a small  room  at  the  back  of  the 
store,  where  he  showed  me  a beautiful  assort- 
ment of  antique  pieces.  Being  unable  to  find 


No.  16.  BESHIR  BOKHARA  PRAYER  RUG  (Turkoman) 


58  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


one  of  the  desired  size,  I asked 
as  we  passed  through  the  main 
store,  which  was  filled  with 
rugs  of  all  sizes,  “Do  you  sup- 
pose you  could  find  anything 
here?”  His  reply  was  that 
every  piece  in  that  room  was  “doctored,”  that 
he  would  show  them  to  no  one,  but  left  that 
distasteful  task  to  his  clerks. 

Few  dealers,  with  the  exception  of  an  occa- 
sional large  one,  ever  handle  antiques.  For 
such  we  must  go  to  those  who  specialize  in  them. 
Dealers  in  antiques  are  comparatively  few  and 
are  becoming  fewer  each  year,  as  the  antiques 
are  rapidly  becoming  scarce.  Ten  years  ago, 
when  wool  was  more  plentiful  and  time  was  of 
little  value  in  the  Orient,  the  supply  of  old 
pieces  seemed  inexhaustible  and  they  could  be 
had  at  moderate  cost,  as  the  people  of  the  East 
were  willing  to  dispose  of  their  old  rugs  when 
there  were  plenty  of  weavers  ready  to  make 
new  ones.  To-day,  however,  it  is  quite  different, 
and  old  pieces  are  difficult  to  find  at  any  price. 
Importers  of  all  countries  have  sent  their  repre- 
sentatives into  the  Orient,  who  have  made  a 


No.  17.  TEKKE  BOKHARA  PRAYER  REG  (Turkoman) 


60  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


house  to  house  canvass,  buying  up  all  the  good 
old  pieces  with  which  the  people  were  willing  to 
part,  and  within  the  last  few  years,  according  to 
a prominent  authority,  many  of  these  old  pieces 
have  been  bought  back  by  traders  from  Con- 
stantinople and  taken  back  east  to  be  sold 
over  again  to  western  purchasers  at  many 
times  the  original  price.  Old  rugs  seem  to 
vanish  in  classes;  for  instance,  five  years  ago 
choice  Sarabands  could  be  had  in  abundance; 
to-day  we  may  search  many  wholesale  stocks 
without  finding  a single  one,  and  when  they  are 
found  they  cost  many  times  what  they  did  five 
years  ago. 

For  the  past  few  years  the  Bokharas  have 
been  plentiful  and  now  they  are  beginning  to 
grow  more  scarce.  In  a few  years  they  will  be 
as  difficult  to  find  as  the  Sarabands  now  are. 

The  best  rugs  for  the  money  now  on  the 
market  are  the  Kurdish  products.  Most  of 
them  are  honestly  made  and  honestly  dyed, 
being  of  good  material  and  with  a long  nap, 
which  greatly  enhances  their  wearing  qualities, 
and  they  can  be  purchased  anywhere  from  $1.00 
to  $3.00  a square  foot. 


No.  18.  KARABAGH  PRAYER  RUG  WITH  DATE  (Caucasian) 


62  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


There  are  three  essential  requisites  of  every 
rug:  namely,  good  material,  good  dyes,  and  good 
workmanship.  Select  those  which  please  you 
most  in  size,  color  and  design,  then  take  time 
and  examine  them  thoroughly  by  daylight. 
First,  see  if  they  lie  straight  and  flat;  examine 
their  condition  and  see  if  they  are  moth-eaten, 
if  the  nap  is  badly  worn  or  if  the  warp  or  woof 
threads  are  broken  in  places;  turn  them  over 
and  note  if  any  repairs  have  been  made.  Inspect 
the  foundation  threads,  as  sometimes  they  rot 
and  will  tear  with  slight  torsion.  Examine  the 
material  of  the  warp,  woof  and  pile,  noting 
their  relative  strength.  The  warp  should  be  the 
heaviest,  strongest  and  most  tightly  twisted ; the 
pile  should  be  next  in  weight  and  the  woof  the 
lightest.  If  the  warp  is  too  light  for  the  pile,  it 
will  break  easily.  The  longer  the  pile  the  heavier 

the  rug,  conse- 
quently the  warp 
should  be  propor- 
tionately heavy. 
The  shorter  the 
pile  the  shorter  is 
the  life  of  the  rug. 


No.  19.  DAGHESTAN  PRAYER  RUG  (Caucasian) 


64  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


Do  not  reject  a piece  because  the  black  or  dark 
brown  areas  of  wool  are  worn  low,  unless  such 
areas  are  large.  This  condition  is  a proof  of  antiq- 
uity and  makes  the  piece  all  the  more  valuable. 
Neither  are  meritorious  old  pieces  to  be  discarded 
on  account  of  a few  imperfections,  which  can  be 
beautifully  restored  by  an  expert  repairer. 
Notice  the  weave,  the  number  of  knots  to  the 
square  inch  and  the  tightness  of  those  knots. 
The  greater  the  number  of  knots  to  the  square 
inch  the  more  expensive  is  the  piece  from  the 
standpoint  of  labor  put  on  it,  but  a rug  with 
two  hundred  and  fifty  knots  to  the  square  inch 
will  not  necessarily  wear  better  than  one  with 
one-fifth  as  many,  providing  the  latter  are  well 
tied.  Notice  if  the  patterns  are  well  drawn  and 
show  a proper  balance,  also  if  the  color  tones 
are  harmonious  with  one  another.  Test  the 
dyes.  Shun  faded  pieces.  Old  vegetable-dyed 
rugs  may  have  subdued  colors  but  they  are 
never  dead  in  tone  and  the  same  color  will 
prevail  throughout  the  length  of  the  pile, 
whereas  in  the  chemically  dyed  product  there 
is  usually  a great  contrast  in  color  on  the  sur- 
face and  deep  down  next  to  the  warp  threads. 


No.  20.  KULAH  PRAYER  RUG  (Turkish) 


66  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


It  is  generally  necessary  nowadays  when  select- 
ing a large  rug  to  accept  a washed  piece,  but 
when  smaller  rugs  will  meet  the  requirement  it 
is  wiser  to  choose  the  older,  unwashed  pieces, 
which  as  a rule  are  more  beautiful  and  cost 
no  more.  The  rugs  which  are  particularly 
to  be  avoided  are  those  the  life  of  which 
has  been  greatly  shortened  by  the  artificial 
aging  process.  An  examination  of  some  of  the 
higher  priced  rugs  in  which  vegetable  dyes  are 
more  likely  to  have  been  used  will  frequently 
enable  one  to  better  judge  the  dyes  of  the 
cheaper  grades. 

Having  completed  the  examination  and  made 
your  selection,  do  not  buy  without  first  having 
the  rugs  sent  to  your  home  for  a few  days  on 
approval,  where  you  can  study  them  more 
leisurely  and  get  an  idea  as  to  whether  or  not 
you  would  soon  tire  of  the  designs  and  colors. 

In  considering  the  cost  of  Eastern  rugs  it  is 
best  to  recognize  at  the  beginning  the  fact  that 
desirable  pieces  cannot  be  bought  for  a song. 
Twenty -five  or  thirty  years  ago  good  rugs  were 
abundant  and  proportionately  cheap,  but  to-day 
they  are  scarce,  so  much  so  in  fact  that  in  many 


. TABRIZ  PRAYER  RUG  (Persian) 
Tree  of  Life  Design 


No.  21 


68  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


stocks  less  than  10  per  cent,  of  them  are  worth 
looking  at.  When  we  consider  that  the  govern- 
ment duty  on  Oriental  rugs  is  nearly  50  per  cent., 
not  to  mention  the  various  profits  to  be  made, 
we  wonder  that  they  can  even  be  bought  at  the 
current  market  prices. 

The  value  of  a rug  depends  upon  the  number 
of  knots  to  the  square  inch,  upon  the  quality  of 
its  material  and  dyes,  upon  the  amount  of  detail 
in  design,  upon  its  age  and  its  rarity.  It  is 
only  the  wealthy  enthusiast  who  can  afford  the 
choice  antiques.  Upon  them  no  fixed  value 
can  be  placed,  but  the  various  kinds  of  modern 
rugs,  good  or  bad,  have  something  like  a uni- 
form value,  according  to  size.  There  are  being 
made  in  the  Orient  to-day  many  beautiful  rugs 
in  which  the  materials  and  workmanship  are 
of  the  best.  Many  of  these  are  as  good  as,  and, 
in  some  instances,  better  than,  the  antiques 
from  the  same  localities.  The  principal  objec- 
tion to  them  is  that  the  colors  are  not  so  sub- 
dued and  the  sheen  so  pronounced  as  in  the 
older  pieces. 

The  cost  of  furnishing  a room  with  such  rugs 
depends — first,  upon  the  use  for  which  the  room 


SOME  ADVICE  TO  PURCHASERS  69 


is  intended;  second,  upon  the  kind  and  amount 
of  furniture  which  it  contains,  and,  third,  upon 
the  size  of  rugs  desired;  thus,  a bedroom  with  a 
bed,  dresser,  wash-stand,  etc.,  will  require  much 
less  floor  covering  than  will  a living  room,  recep- 
tion room  or  hall,  and  where  large  rugs  are  de- 
sired, more  floor  covering  is  required  than  where 
small  ones  are  used;  besides,  the  former  will 
usually  average  in  cost  more  per  square  foot 
than  will  the  latter.  In  bedrooms,  where  small 
rugs  are  always  preferable,  the  average  amount 
of  floor  covering  required  is  from  three-eighths 
to  one-half  of  the  floor  space,  while  in  most 
other  rooms  it  is  from  one-half  to  five-eighths 
when  small  rugs  are  used  and  from  five-eighths 
to  three-fourths  when  one  large  rug  is  used. 

Good  rugs  of  medium 
sizes  can  be  had  from 
85  cents  to  $1.25  per 
square  foot,  whereas 
those  in  carpet  sizes 
cost  from  $1.70  to  $2.50 
per  square  foot.  It  can 
be  readily  seen,  there- 
fore, that  to  furnish  a 


70  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


bedroom  fourteen  by  sixteen  feet  would  cost 
from  $72  to  $140,  while  to  furnish  a living- 
room  sixteen  by  twenty-six  feet  with  small  pieces 
would  cost  from  $125  to  $240,  and  with  one  large 
carpet  from  $400  to  $600. 

In  the  following  section  is  given  a list  of  some 
of  the  Oriental  rugs  which  can  be  bought  to-day 
at  moderate  prices.  For  the  instruction  and 
guidance  of  the  reader,  the  number  of  knots  to 
the  square  inch,  the  size,  the  prices  per  square 
foot  and  the  individual  characteristics  are 
mentioned. 


CHARACTERISTICS  OF  RUGS 


CHARACTERISTICS  OF  RUGS 


Thoroughly  detailed  information  of  the  rugs 
mentioned  in  this  book,  as  well  as  all  others,  is 
given  in  the  author’s  “ The  Practical  Book  of 
Oriental  Rugs.” 

PERSIAN 

GOREVAN 

Knots,  48  to  180;  length  10  to  26  ft.;  width  6 to 
10  ft.;  cost,  $1.25  to  $3.50.  Excellent  wearing 
qualities.  Many  of  the  modern  ones  are  just 
as  good  as,  and  in  some  instances  better  than, 
the  antiques.  They  seldom  come  in  small  sizes. 

BIJAR 

Knots,  48  to  120;  length  6 to  18  ft.;  width  3 to 

14  ft.;  cost,  $1.00  to  $4.00.  Thick,  heavy  and 
durable. 

MAHAL  AND  MUSKABAD 

Knots,  30  to  112;  length  10  to  20  ft.;  width  8 to 

15  ft.;  cost,  $1.00  to  $3.00.  Come  in  carpet 
sizes  only.  Mostly  commercial.  Watch  for 
aniline  dyes. 


73 


74  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


SHIRAZ 

Knots,  42  to  196;  length  4 to  12  ft.;  width  3 to 
8 ft.;  cost,  $1.25  to  $3.00.  Often  crooked  and 
too  light  to  lie  well. 

KHORASAN 

Knots,  80  to  375;  length  5 to  25  ft.;  width  3 to 
18  ft.;  cost,  $1.50  to  $3.50.  Mostly  carpet 
sizes.  Soft,  pliable  and  pleasant  to  tread  on. 
Suitable  for  living  and  dining  rooms. 

TURKISH 

KURDISTAN 

Knots,  36  to  90;  length  6 to  18  ft.;  width  3 to 
15  ft.;  cost,  75c.  to  $3.00.  Mostly  medium 
sizes.  Good  wool,  long  nap,  dark  colors,  good 
workmanship  and  splendid  wearing  qualities. 
As  free  as  any  from  outside  influences  and 
one  of  the  best  rugs  on  the  market  for  the 
money. 

ANATOLIAN  MATS 

Knots,  36  to  150;  length  lj^  to  5 ft.;  width  1 to 
4 ft.;  cost,  $1.25  to  $3.00.  Serviceable,  but 
vegetable-dyed  ones  are  rather  scarce. 


No.  22. 


GHILEEM  PORTRAIT  RUG 


76  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 
BERGAMA 

Knots,  60  to  180;  length  4 to  8 ft.;  width  2J/2  t° 
5 ft.;  cost,  $2.00  to  $3.00.  Good  wool,  long  nap 
and  nearly  square  in  shape.  Designs  usually 
large  for  size  of  rug. 

MOSUL 

Knots,  36  to  80;  length  4 to  20  ft.;  width  2 to 
4 ft.;  cost,  $1.00  to  $2.00.  No  very  large  sizes. 
They  are  thick  and  lustrous,  lie  well  and  are 
among  the  best  for  service  on  the  market. 

CAUCASIAN 

KABISTAN 

Knots,  80  to  224;  length  5 to  20  ft.;  width  23^ 
to  5 ft.;  cost,  $1.00  to  $3.00.  No  carpet  sizes. 
Good  weave,  short  nap  and  geometrical  designs. 
Thin  and  flexible  but  lie  well  as  a rule. 

SHEMAKHA  OR  CASHMERE 

Flat  weave,  10  to  20  rows  to  the  inch;  length 

4 to  12  ft.;  width  3 to  7 ft.;  cost,  75c.  to  $1.75. 

A pileless  rug  with  designs  similar  to  those  of 

the  Kabistan.  Durable  but  lack  animation. 

Good  pieces  in  all  sizes  may  be  had  at  reasonable 

cost. 


No.  23.  KABISTAN  RUG  (Caucasian) 


78  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


SHIRVAN 

Knots,  30  to  108;  length  5 to  20  ft.;  width  3 to 
6 ft. ; cost,  50c.  to  $2.00.  No  carpet  sizes.  Often 
contain  goats’  hair.  A small  percentage  of  good 
pieces  among  those  of  modern  make. 

KARABAGH 

Knots,  30  to  120;  length  4 to  10  ft.;  width  3 to 

5 ft.;  cost,  50c.  to  $1.50.  Usually  small  sizes. 
Among  the  cheapest  and  poorest  of  the  Cauca- 
sian fabrics,  although  an  occasional  good  piece 
may  be  found. 

KAZAK 

Knot,  36  to  120;  length  5 to  8 ft.;  width  3 to 

6 ft.;  cost,  75c.  to  $2.00.  Geometrical  designs 
and  bright  colors.  Thick,  heavy,  soft  and  dur- 
able. One  of  the  best  Caucasian  rugs  to  be 
found  on  the  market  to-day. 

TURKOMAN 

KHIVA  BOKHARA  OR  AFGHAN 
Knots,  48  to  96;  length  6 to  12  ft.;  width  4 to 
9 ft.;  cost,  $1.25  to  $2.00.  Octagon  design  and 
dark  red  colors  predominate.  Mostly  in  carpet 
sizes.  Contain  considerable  goats’  hair,  the  odor 
of  which  may  frequently  be  noticed  in  damp 


No.  24.  BELUCHISTAN  RUG 


80  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


weather.  One  of  the  best  inexpensive  rugs  and, 
with  the  exception  of  the  Yomud,  is  about  the 
only  antique  left  which  comes  in  carpet  sizes. 

YOMUD  BOKHARA 

Knots,  50  to  180;  length  5 to  20  ft.;  width  4 to 
10  ft.;  cost,  75c.  to  $2.50.  Few  small  pieces. 
Designs  consist  principally  of  octagon  and  dia- 
mond forms.  This  and  the  Khiva  Bokhara 
are  about  the  only  two  antiques  in  carpet  size 
that  are  found  in  the  market. 

BELUCHISTAN 

Knots,  30  to  120;  length  3 to  11  ft.;  width  5 to 
8 ft.;  cost,  75c.  to  $2.50.  Usually  in  mats  and 
medium  sizes.  One  of  the  last  to  be  affected  by 
outside  influences.  Dyes  are  usually  good,  but 
of  late  few  “undoctored”  pieces  are  found. 


No.  25.  KAZAK  RUG  (Caucasian) 
Palace  Design 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATES 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATES 


SYMBOLIC  PERSIAN  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  1,  Page  15 

Property  of  H.  B.  Claflin  Co.,  New  York  City 

Field  represents  a garden  composed  of  various 
kinds  of  trees  through  which  winds  a path.  In  the 
foreground  are  two  men  and  a woman  performing 
a sword  dance  to  the  accompaniment  of  string 
music  rendered  by  the  two  women  under  a spread- 
ing tree.  A shepherd  with  his  crook  is  defending 
a lone  lamb  from  a wolf  or  dog.  In  the  back- 
ground is  a serpent  twined  around  a tree,  a rabbit 
in  the  grass,  and  a deer  and  goat  being  chased  by  a 
wild  animal.  On  either  side  of  the  mihrab  is  a tree 
on  the  lower  branches  of  which  is  an  ape  hanging 
by  one  hand  and  teasing  a lion  by  reaching  down 
and  tickling  him  with  a branch  which  he  holds  in 
his  other  hand,  while  high  up  is  perched  a large 
bird  resembling  very  much  in  shape  the  turkey  and 
an  animal  resembling  a panther.  Above  the  mihrab 
is  a crossed  panel  carrying  an  inscription  in  Arabic. 
The  main  border  stripe  is  composed  of  a series  of 
houses  and  tombs  alternating  in  twos. 

A SIXTEENTH  CENTURY  PERSIAN  RUG 
No.  2,  Page  17 

Property  of  the  Metropolitan  Museum  of  Fine  Arts, 
New  York  City 

Note  the  eight  birds  in  the  periphery  of  the  central 
medallion,  also  the  animals  in  pairs  throughout  the 

85 


86  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


field.  They  are  leopards,  tigers,  cows,  deer,  and 
dogs  interwoven  with  floral  forms.  In  each  corner 
of  the  field  are  fruit  trees  with  birds  in  the  branches. 
The  main  border  stripe  carries  the  celebrated  Shah 
Abbas  design. 

CHINESE  ZODIACAL  RUG 
No.  3,  Page  19 

Property  of  The  Tiffany  Studios,  New  York  City 

The  zodiacal  animals  that  guard  the  hours  of  the 
Chinese  day  and  night  appear  in  the  main  border 
of  this  rug,  though  they  are  not  arranged  in  con- 
secutive order,  which  is  as  follows: 


One  to  three 

the  ox 

Three  to  five 

the  tiger 

Five  to  seven 

the  hare 

Seven  to  nine 

the  dragon 

Nine  to  eleven 

the  serpent 

Eleven  to  one 

the  horse 

One  to  three 

the  goat 

Three  to  five 

the  monkev 

Five  to  seven 

the  cock 

Seven  to  nine 

the  dog 

Nine  to  eleven 

the  bear 

Eleven  to  one 

........  the  rat 

In  the  central  medallion  chimerical  lions  and  cubs 
are  at  play  with  balls.  The  corners  of  the  cream- 
white  field  are  marked  off  with  delicately  traced 
scrolls  in  blue.  Upon  the  field  itself  many 
significant  flowers,  plants,  and  emblems  are  dexter- 
ously wrought  in  shades  of  blue  with  occasional 


No.  26.  SHIRAZ  RUG  (Persian) 


88  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


touches  of  red  and  yellow.  The  inner  border  carries 
a succession  of  archaic  geometric  dragons  which 
alternate  with  blue  floral  forms.  (Owner’s  de- 
scription.) 

PERSIAN  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  4,  Page  21 

Property  of  the  late  Mr.  Benjamin  Altman, 
New  York  City 

This  gem  was  made  in  North  Persia  about  1580. 
It  is  similar  to  one  which  was  in  the  Yerkes  sale 
and  to  another  one  which  was  shown  at  the  recent 
Munich  exhibition  of  Mohammedan  art.  It  has 
beautiful  floral  designs  with  arabesques  and  Chinese 
motifs  in  deep  shades  of  red,  blue,  and  yellow,  many 
of  the  designs  being  worked  with  light  yellow  or 
silver  thread  in  the  ghileem  style.  The  mihrab  is 
the  Persian  style,  from  which  hangs  a mosque  lamp 
which  is  covered  with  red,  yellow,  and  pink  flowers 
on  a green  ground.  The  lower  part  of  the  field  is 
covered  with  various  floral  and  tree  forms  in  yellow 
with  pink  blossoms.  There  are  two  border  stripes. 
The  inner  one  has  a yellow  ground,  the  lower  part 
of  which  is  covered  with  arabesques  and  the  upper 
part  with  Arabic  inscriptions  in  blue  which  read 
“May  the  Blessing  of  God  rest  upon  them  all. 
There  is  no  God  but  Allah  (the  true  God) ; Moham- 
med is  the  prophet  of  God.  Ali  is  the  saint  of  God. 
God  the  exalted  one  says:  Verily  God  and  His 
angels  shower  their  blessings  upon  the  prophet. 
Oh  ye  faithful  send  your  blessings  with  Him,  as  well 


No.  27.  KABISTAN  RUG  (Caucasian) 


90  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


as  offer  your  salutations  unto  Him.”  The  outer 
border  has  a blue  ground  upon  which  are  rounded 
octagons  and  oblong  panels  in  gray,  the  latter  con- 
taining inscriptions  from  the  Koran  in  black.  Size 
five  feet  five  inches  by  three  feet  three  inches. 

PERSIAN  SILK  RUG 
No.  5,  Page  23 

Property  of  H.  B.  Claflin  Co.,  New  York  City 

A symbolic  piece  of  the  Tabriz  class.  The  fore- 
ground of  the  field  represents  a body  of  water  in 
which  lies  the  remains  of  a person  who  has  been 
drowned.  A diver  has  evidently  been  employed  to 
go  down  and  look  for  the  body  while  the  deceased’s 
friends  remain  on  shore  with  their  camels,  awaiting 
results.  They  are  shaded  by  mythological  trees 
bearing  numerous  kinds  of  fruits  and  flowers.  Note 
the  peculiar  main  border  stripe  of  scrolls  with  alter- 
nating animals  and  peacocks. 

SYMBOLIC  KIRMAN  RUG 
No.  6,  Page  25 

Property  of  S.  Telfevan  & Co.,  New  York  City 

The  field  of  the  rug  is  covered  with  the  Tree  of 
Life,  each  branch  of  which  supports  a head  of  a 
different  animal.  It  is  supposed  to  represent  the 
conflict  between  good  and  evil.  The  inscriptions 
are  quite  different  from  the  Arabic  usually  employed 
by  rug  weavers  and  no  one  has  been  found  who  can 
interpret  them.  It  would  add  greatly  to  the  interest 
of  the  piece  if  some  idea  of  their  meaning  could  be  had. 


No.  28  FERAGHAN  RUG  (Persian) 


92  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 

SHEMAKHA  OR  SUMAK  HUNTING  RUG 
No.  7,  Page  33 

Property  of  Mr.  A.  U.  Dilley,  Boston,  Mass. 

A most  unique  and  interesting  piece.  It  depicts  a 
hunting  party  which  is  composed  of  fifteen  horses, 
seven  camels  and  fifteen  men.  Find  the  fifteenth 
man  and  horse.  Each  hunter  is  holding  a falcon 
and  has  two  dogs.  Note  the  different  varieties  of 
game  scattered  throughout  the  field;  also  observe 
that  the  camels’  and  horses’  two  eyes  are  both  on 
one  side  of  their  heads. 


KABISTAN  RUG 

No.  8,  Page  35.  Size  3'-7"  x 5'-5" 

Property  of  Mrs.  Thomas  E.  Matthews,  Mt.  Clemens, 

Michigan 

A very  unusual  and  attractive  piece  both  in  color 
and  design.  In  the  centre  is  a peculiarly  shaped 
pole  medallion  and  at  each  corner  a quarter  of  an 
octagon,  all  in  light  salmon-pink  upon  a field  of  rich 
dark  blue.  The  central  octagon  carries  a dark  brown 
figure  upon  a light  blue  field.  At  various  parts  are 
scattered  swastikas,  two  of  which  are  left-handed 
ones.  The  latter  are  seldom  employed  by  rug 
weavers.  It  is  quite  unusual  for  a Caucasian  piece 
to  have  but  two  border  stripes. 


No.  29.  KURDISTAN  RUG 


94  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


CHINESE  RUG 
No.  9,  Page  37.  Size  5'- 7"  x 2'-6" 

Property  of  Dr.  E.  B.  Guile,  Utica,  N.  Y. 

A rare  Chinese  rug  of  the  18th  century.  The 
entire  ground  of  the  rug  is  a subdued  light  golden- 
brown.  The  field  is  filled  with  characteristic  Chinese 
designs.  There  is  a central  medallion  with  the 
“circle  of  happiness”  made  up  of  peonies,  and 
ornate  devices  in  terra  cotta,  blue,  and  white.  The 
balance  of  the  field  bears  dwarf  trees  in  jardinieres, 
realistic  pears  and  apples  on  blue  plates,  flowers  in 
pots,  and  elaborate  corner  pieces  wrought  in  blue, 
white  and  shades  of  salmon  pink  and  terra  cotta. 
Three  borders,  the  inner  in  two  shades  of  blue, 
relieved  by  dots  of  white;  a main  border  of  a Greek 
key  effect  in  blue,  brown  and  gold  on  salmon-pink 
ground;  and  an  outer  border  displaying  a diaper 
effect  in  pink  and  brown  on  the  gold  ground.  Other 
devices  in  the  field  comprise  a brush  holder  with 
pen  rack,  and  ornate  hanging  lanterns.  A choice 
weaving  of  great  beauty  and  interest,  and  of  un- 
doubted antiquity.  (Owner’s  description.) 

INDIAN  FLORAL  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  10,  Page  39 

Owned  by  the  Museum  of  Trades  and  Industry, 
Vienna,  Austria 

An  all  silk  rug,  the  designs  of  which  are  exclusively 
floral  with  the  exception  of  the  half  cypress  tree  on 
either  side  of  the  field  and  the  four  guard  stripes 


No.  30.  MOSUL  RUG  (Turkish) 


96  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


which  carry  the  letter  S.  It  is  from  the  court  fac- 
tory of  the  Great  Mogul  and  could  go  back  to  the 
15th  or  16th  century.  The  centre  is  of  a beautiful 
crimson  spotted  with  numerous  other  colors,  the 
upper  corners  are  in  old  gold  spotted  green  and  red, 
the  main  border  is  dark  green  spotted  red  and  brown 
and  the  half  trees  are  in  sage  green. 

PERSIAN  SILK  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  11,  Page  47.  Size  7'-4"  x 5' 

Property  of  Mrs.  F.  C.  Soule,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

A most  attractive  piece  both  in  coloring  and  design. 
The  tree  of  life  bearing  at  least  eight  different  kinds 
of  fruit,  and  in  its  branches  are  found  four  different 
kinds  of  birds  in  pairs.  Note  also  the  cypress  trees 
(emblems  of  immortality)  on  each  side  and  at  the 
bottom  of  the  field. 

ANATOLIAN  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  12,  Page  49.  Size  3'-3"  x 5,-8" 

Property  of  Mrs.  Thomas  E.  Matthews,  Mt.  Clemens, 
Michigan. 

A very  unusual  combination  of  designs  and  colors. 
This  particular  form  of  prayer  niche  is  seldom  seen. 
The  field  is  of  magenta  with  designs  in  light  blue 
and  green,  while  the  main  border  stripe  is  in  light 
blue  with  floral  forms  in  yellow,  magenta,  red, 
black  and  white  alternating. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATES 


97 


CHILD’S  PRAYER  RUG  (DAGHESTAN) 

No.  13,  Page  51.  Size  2 '-2"  x 2' 

Property  of  Mr.  K.  Aleon,  New  York  City 

Prayer  rugs  of  this  size  are  exceedingly  rare. 
This  one  must  have  been  intended  for  a very  small 
child.  Note  the  hands  in  design  on  either  side  of 
the  prayer  niche. 

MELES  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  14,  Page  53.  Size  4'-5"  x 3'-6" 

Property  of  Dr.  E.  B.  Guile,  Utica,  N.  Y. 

An  antique  prayer  rug,  typical  of  Meles.  Turkish 
knot,  seven  horizontal  by  ten  vertical,  making 
seventy  knots  to  the  square  inch.  The  outer  border, 
of  terra  cotta,  blue  and  lavender  single  flowers  on 
cream,  enclosed  by  wide  guard  stripes  in  the  Greek 
meander  in  red  and  lavender.  The  main  border,  on 
soft  yellow,  bears  an  ornate  tripart  floral  device 
often  seen  in  antique  Ghiordes,  but  used  more  or 
less  in  other  Asia  Minor  weaves.  The  flowers  are 
laid  in  reds,  violet  and  blue,  the  latter  showing 
admirably  the  mottled  effect  so  highly  prized  in 
antique  Meles  rugs.  The  inner  border  encloses  the 
prayer  field,  and  carries  a waving  vine  in  lavender, 
bearing  red  and  cream  flowers  on  a beautifully 
mottled  blue  ground.  The  prayer  field  is  in  a rich, 
warm  terra  cotta,  the  mihrab  laterally  indented,  as 
is  usual  in  Meles  design,  and  exhibits  conventional 


98  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


floral  motifs  in  yellow,  blue,  red  and  cream.  The 
ivory  space  above  the  mihrab  contains  character- 
istic flower  effects  in  reds  and  blues.  All  of  the 
blues  in  this  piece  are  mottled,  and  the  coloring 
soft  and  beautiful  throughout.  No  Meles  can  have 
more  charming  and  harmonious  color  tone  than  this 
old  gem,  now  well  into  its  second  century.  The 
sides  are  finished  with  a four-cord  red  selvage,  and 
the  ends  in  medium  red  webs,  the  upper  terminating 
in  a braid-like  heading,  fringed.  The  warp  is  of 
two-strand  yellow  wool,  while  the  woollen  weft  is 
dyed  red.  (Owner’s  description.) 


MESHED  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  15,  Page  55.  Size  4'  x S' 

Property  of  Mr.  F.  S.  Hipes,  Trinidad,  Col. 

Prayer  rugs  of  this  class  are  extremely  rare.  This 
is  the  only  one  I have  ever  seen.  It  is  extremely 
fine  in  texture,  having  four  hundred  and  forty- 
eight  Senna  knots  to  the  square  inch,  tied  so  closely 
that  it  is  quite  difficult  to  separate  the  pile  suffi- 
ciently to  see  the  woof  or  warp  threads.  The  central 
field  consists  of  the  tree  of  life  in  dark  blue  with  red, 
blue  and  pink  flowers  upon  a background  of  rich 
carmine. 

The  main  border  stripe  carries  the  Herati  design 
in  dark  red  upon  a pale  blue  ground  on  each  side 
of  which  are  narrow  stripes  of  pink  carrying  alter- 
nate dots  of  red  and  blue. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATES 


99 


BESHIR  BOKHARA  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  16,  Page  57 

Property  of  the  Museum  of  Trades  and  Industry, 
Vienna,  Austria 

A 17th  century  piece  with  rather  unattractive 
designs  and  quite  unlike  most  rugs  of  the  class. 
The  latch  hook,  the  letter  S,  rectilineal  flowers  and 
grotesque  geometrical  figures  cover  the  field,  while 
the  single  border  stripe  carries  the  meander  or  wave 
crest  design. 

TEKKE  BOKHARA  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  17,  Page  59 

Property  of  Miss  Mary  Reed,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Invariably  the  central  field  of  these  rugs  is  divided 
into  four  sections  forming  a cross.  For  this  reason 
they  are  generally  termed  “Khatchlie”  by  the 
Armenians,  that  being  the  word  in  their  language 
which  means  cross. 

KARABAGH  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  18,  Page  61 

Property  of  the  Author 

The  prayer  field  is  filled  with  the  rectilineal  rendi- 
tion of  the  pear  design  arranged  with  their  stems 
all  turned  in  the  same  direction,  and  around  them 
is  a frame  of  octagons  which  are  quartered  similar 
to  the  Turkoman  octagons.  The  niche  is  typically 
Caucasian  and  within  it  is  the  date  1313  of  the 


100  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


Mohammedan  year  which  is  equivalent  to  1896  of 
the  Christian  calendar.  A rather  unusual  main 
border  stripe  on  each  side  of  which  is  a narrow  stripe 
carrying  the  conventional  trefoil. 

DAGHESTAN  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  19,  Page  63.  Size  3'-5"  x 4'-10" 

Property  of  Mr.  D.  M.  Edwards,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

This  piece  is  typical  of  its  class  in  every  respect. 
The  lattice  field  with  each  triangular  space  filled 
with  a miniature  tree  form,  the  angular  prayer 
niche  and  the  Caucasian  border  designs  are  such  as 
are  found  in  the  larger  portion  of  Daghestan  prayer 
rugs.  Note  the  combs,  ladders  and  gulab-ewers  in 
that  portion  of  the  field  above  the  prayer  niche. 

KULAH  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  20,  Page  65 

Property  of  the  Tiffany  Studios,  New  York  City 

The  highly  ornate  design  in  this  antique  rug  has 
both  Ghiordes  and  Kulah  features.  With  the  ex- 
ception of  the  profile  flower  forms  in  the  wide  border 
the  motifs  in  the  design  are  formal  rather  than 
realistic.  The  field  is  surrounded  by  the  typical 
curl  border,  a Kulah  feature  showing  Rhodian  in- 
fluence, which  strongly  resembles  a well-known 
design  in  Chinese  rugs. 

The  field  is  of  hay  color  and  the  decoration  upon 
it  and  the  space  above  it  are  of  light  blue.  The 
ground  of  the  main  border  is  dark  blue,  and  the 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATES 


101 


design  is  in  shades  of  green,  blue,  red,  ecru,  and  tan 
color.  (Owner’s  description.) 

TABRIZ  PRAYER  RUG 
No.  21,  Page  67 

Property  of  Mr.  George  Bausch,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

The  border  stripes  are  typically  Tabriz  both  in 
numbers  and  designs.  The  prayer  field  is  filled 
with  the  tree  of  life  motif  with  the  most  grotesque 
floral  and  leaf  forms.  The  predominating  color  is 
chocolate. 

GHILEEM  PORTRAIT  RUG 

No.  22,  Page  75 

A pileless  rug  made  by  binding  a dyed  weft  thread 
around  the  warp  threads  by  means  of  a shuttle  or 
needle,  being  alike  on  both  sides  and  leaving  open 
spaces  between  the  warp  threads  where  the  changes 
of  color  are  made. 

These  portrait  rugs  are  not  particularly  attrac- 
tive to  the  Occidental,  but  they  are  greatly  prized 
by  the  Oriental  and  few  are  consequently  seen  in 
this  country.  In  the  Orient  they  are  used  for  wall 
decorations  the  same  as  an  oil  or  water  colored 
portrait  is  used  by  us, 

KABISTAN  RUG 
No.  23,  Page  77.  Size  4'-4"  x 6'-2" 

Property  of  E.  W.  Edwards  & Son,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

There  is  nothing  unusual  or  especially  attractive 
about  this  piece.  It  is  reproduced  here  more  espe- 
cially to  demonstrate  that  rugs  of  a fair  grade  can 


102  MYSTERY  OF  THE  ORIENTAL  RUG 


still  be  bought  at  moderate  cost.  This  rug  has  over 
twenty-six  square  feet  and  retailed  at  $32.00,  about 
$1.23  a square  foot. 

BELUCHISTAN  RUG 
No.  24,  Page  79.  Size  S'  x 7' 

A typical  rug  of  the  class  both  in  designs  and  colors. 
The  serrated  diagonal  medallions  in  the  field  are 
characteristically  Beluchistan  as  is  also  the  wide 
webbing  at  each  end  in  which  are  worked  designs 
in  the  ghileem  stitch.  Retail  price  was  $15.00. 

KAZAK  RUG 

No.  25,  Page  81.  Size  3'-7"  x 7'-5" 

Property  of  E.  W.  Edwards  & Son,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

A real  antique  with  long  lustrous  nap  and  splendid 
dyes.  The  field  is  filled  with  four  large  geometrical 
medallions  which  are  found  only  in  rugs  of  this 
class.  The  border  stripe  carries  the  crab  design.  The 
retail  price  of  this  rug  was  $25.00,  just  about  $1.00 
per  square  foot. 

SHIRAZ  RUG 
No.  26,  Page  87.  Size  4'-6"  x 7' 

This  field  is  filled  with  grotesque  designs,  each  one 
of  which  is  supported  by  two  lance-shaped  leaves. 
The  three  border  stripes  carrying  alternate  flower 
and  bird  forms  are  especially  attractive.  Unlike 
most  rugs  of  its  class  it  is  entirely  free  of  animal 
forms  with  the  exception  of  one  small  bird  at  the 
left.  The  retail  price  was  $30.00. 


DESCRIPTION  OF  PLATES 


103 


KABISTAN  RUG 
No.  27,  Page  89.  Size  4'  x 9' 

A most  attractive  piece  with  its  serrated,  diamond- 
shaped medallions  in  dark  blue  upon  a salmon 
background.  Retail  price  $28.00. 

FERAGHAN  RUG 
No.  28,  Page  91.  Size  8'  x 4'-3" 

An  antique  of  fair  quality  and  attractive  colors 
and  designs.  Retail  price  $40.00.  A little  over 
thirty-three  square  feet  at  about  $1.21  a square  foot. 

KURDISTAN  RUG 

No.  29,  Page  93.  Size  6'  x 3'-9".  Cost  $37.50 

The  predominating  color  of  the  field  is  dark  blue, 
while  that  of  the  main  border  stripe  is  yellow.  The 
designs  are  in  subdued  shades  of  old  rose,  light 
blue  and  red. 

MOSUL  RUG 

No.  30,  Page  95.  Size  6'-4"  x S'-10" 

A very  unusual  design  for  this  class  of  rugs,  being 
more  like  the  Persian  than  the  Turkish  products. 
The  central  serrated  medallion  and  the  periphery 
of  the  field  carry  the  Herati  design  upon  a blue 
field.  The  extremely  narrow  border  is  also  foreign 
to  the  products  of  Mosul.  This  piece  was  found  in 
the  store  of  a Syrian  and  was  marked  $30.00. 


GETTY  CENTER  LIBRARY 


3 3125  00966  9504 


